Understanding the importance of healthy, clear communication in a relationship

My husband and I have been together for almost 12 years, and next June, we will celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary. I met Blaine when I was 19, hence why we have been together for as long as we have, and since we were young and weren’t in any rush to get married, we dated … More Understanding the importance of healthy, clear communication in a relationship

Approaching conflict: sometimes, waiting is better

I would wager most people would rather avoid conflict than engage in it, generally speaking. Granted, there are instances in which there are no options aside from confronting the conflict head-on, but, if there is a possibility to dodge said turmoil, most of us would prefer the latter over the former. Personally, when I end … More Approaching conflict: sometimes, waiting is better

A friendly reminder you can say ‘no’ during the Holidays

Many people consider Christmastime to be the highlight of their year, and, really, for understandable reasons; out of all of the holidays we collectively celebrate in a given calendar year, Christmas seems to take the cake in terms of celebrations, decorations, festivities and events compared to any other holiday or special occasion. I was chatting … More A friendly reminder you can say ‘no’ during the Holidays

Here’s what to make when it’s too hot to cook

If you happen to be a resident of Southern Ontario, I do not need to inform you of how damn hot it has been as of late. Back in May, we experienced a week of blazing heat, only for that to be followed by unusually cool weather for June. Apparently, Mother Nature was allowing her … More Here’s what to make when it’s too hot to cook

Here’s how to better manage your time at work

I have been out of a formal working environment for a few years now, but I absolutely can recall some of the stresses that presented themselves when I was working as a reporter. Between deadlines, word counts, interviews, editing and organizing drafts, things got a bit hairy for me occasionally, despite my best efforts to … More Here’s how to better manage your time at work

Retreat, then react

If reactivity is something you struggle with, you, my friend, are in the right place. I, too, am a highly reactive person, and while it something I have been working at to improve and alleviate, progress takes time, and there is always room for improvement in my own case. I don’t know the reason I … More Retreat, then react

Your home doesn’t stand a chance against these cleaning hacks

Today’s post is a continuation of yesterday’s, discussing some incredibly helpful cleaning hacks. I doubt I speak for myself when I say the concept of hacks is a fickle one – sometimes, you come across a hack that seriously changes your life, and other times, you come across hacks that offer arguably the stupidest information … More Your home doesn’t stand a chance against these cleaning hacks

Understanding the difference between compromise and sacrifice

Compromise and sacrifice are two rather different concepts. One involves meeting someone halfway as a means to cooperate and make a situation more feasible to ourselves and someone else, while the other requires giving up something, typically done to achieve a common good or goal. Despite the difference in meaning when comparing these words, a … More Understanding the difference between compromise and sacrifice

How to grapple with feelings of inadequacy

The sensations we experience when we are feeling inadequate aren’t exactly pleasant ones. Some that come to mind include inferiority, hopelessness, helplessness, isolation, and sadness, and that’s only naming a few. Feeling as though we are inadequate, or, in simpler terms, not good enough, is truly a debilitating sentiment. It is frustrating because while we … More How to grapple with feelings of inadequacy

Here are some things to remind yourself of right now

I’ve been seeing a few things floating around the internet world as of late regarding things to be mindful of during the COVID-19 crisis. Some of them good, others not so good, and some being painfully relatable. I thought I would compile a personal list of things to remind ourselves of in a pretty desolate … More Here are some things to remind yourself of right now

Stuck at home? Try these activities to pass the time

With so many of us stuck at home right now, I thought it would be appropriate to compose a post addressing potential activities to engage in to pass the time. Whether you’re quarantining or in self-isolation, hopefully some of my suggestions can have relevance to you and keep you occupied over the next few weeks. … More Stuck at home? Try these activities to pass the time

Giving constructive criticism: a how-to guide

The idea of giving someone criticism isn’t exactly something that brings most of us comfort. At least, I would hope it doesn’t. Being critical of someone can be kind of awkward, and, depending on who the person is that you’re criticizing, it can be a little tense, too. But, constructive criticism is something all of … More Giving constructive criticism: a how-to guide

The importance of maintaining communication with your partner

Communication is an inevitable component of daily life. Whether we’re at Tim Hortons ordering a coffee, paying for some groceries at No Frills, or seeing our doctor for our routine checkup, it’s nearly impossible to avoid communication when we’re out and about in a public setting. For a lot of us, communication is second nature. … More The importance of maintaining communication with your partner